CBSE forms panel headed by IIT Madras professor to develop AI curriculum for schools

New Delhi: The Central Board of Secondary Education has constituted an expert committee chaired by an IIT Madras professor to develop the curriculum for Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking (AI & CT), officials said.

The move comes following the plan to roll out AI curriculum in all schools from class 3 onwards from 2026-27.

"A stakeholder consultation was held on Wednesday bringing together expert bodies including CBSE, NCERT, KVS, NVS, and external experts. The CBSE has constituted an expert committee chaired by Karthik Raman, Professor, Department of Data Science and AI, IIT Madras, to develop the AI & CT curriculum," said School Education Secretary Sanjay Kumar.

"Artificial Intelligence and Computational Thinking will reinforce the concept of learning, thinking, and teaching, and will gradually expand towards the idea of AI for public good.

"This initiative marks a nascent yet significant step towards the ethical use of AI to solve complex challenges, as the technology will be organically embedded from the foundational stage, beginning in Grade 3," he added.

He noted that the curriculum must be broad-based, inclusive, and aligned with the National Curriculum Framework for School Education (NCF-SE), 2023, adding that "every child’s distinct potential is our priority".

Earlier, Kumar had emphasised that education in AI should be treated as a basic universal skill linked to The World Around Us (TWAU).

"Our job as policymakers is to define the minimum threshold and re-evaluate it based on the changing needs," he had said.

At present, over 18,000 CBSE schools offer AI as a skill subject from class 6 onwards through a 15-hour module, while classes 9-12 have it as an optional subject.